Lawmakers Demand Tight Radio Security

November 19, 1985|By Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — Citing ''indisputable evidence'' that drug smugglers monitor radio frequencies used by law enforcement officials, the military, the Secret Service and even President Reagan's jet and limousine, a senator and a congressman called Monday for tough administration action to tighten security. Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz., and Rep. Glenn English, D-Okla., said at a press conference that evidence seized recently in a South Florida drug smuggling case includes detailed records of the government frequencies and underscores the problem of insecure radio communications.

In a letter to Reagan, DeConcini and English said that compromise of communications ''is often disastrous'' in the nation's war against drug smuggling. They called on the president to direct the National Security Council and the Drug Enforcement Policy Board to investigate the matter.

At the Drug Enforcement Administration, a spokesman said that although radio security has been a problem in the past, South Florida authorities now can provide ''voice privacy'' electronically. Agents in other parts of the nation will begin phasing in new equipment in January, he said.

English, chairman of the House Government Operations subcommittee on government information, justice and agriculture, said that the information was seized during a Sept. 13 raid in Broward County, Fla.

English said a local official provided the frequencies to the subcommittee. He said the official also asserted that the alleged smugglers had ties to the Colombian terrorist group, known as M-19, that seized the national Palace of Justice in Bogota on Nov. 6 and killed more than 100 persons, including 12 justices.

In view of that alleged connection and the assertion that the drug smuggling suspects had radio frequencies belonging to Reagan's bodyguards, DeConcini concluded that the ''security of our national leaders'' is threatened.

In Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Sheriff Nicholas Navarro said in a telephone interview he was concerned that a drug smuggling ring would have frequencies that had no apparent connection to drug smuggling. He said a task force is trying to determine the significance of the 1,000 frequencies -- which included those for radios in U.S. missile batteries, Air Force bases and civilian organizations such as Walt Disney World.

Critics have charged that the government is miserly in spending for technology to match that of drug smugglers and other criminals.